Product Description
“I wrote and illustrated this book to help every inquisitive birder, from novice to expert. Whether you can identify six birds or six hundred, you’ll be a better birder if you have a grounding in the real nuts and bolts of what birds look like, and your skills will be even sharper if you know exactly what to look for and how to record what you see.” —David Allen Sibley

The Sibley Guide to Birds and The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior are both universally acclaimed as the new standard source of species information. And now David Sibley, America’s premier birder and best-known bird artist, takes a new direction; in Sibley’s Birding Basics he is concerned not so much with species as with the general characteristics that influence the appearance of all birds and thus give us the clues to their identity.
To create this guide, David Sibley thought through all the skills that enable him to identify a bird in the few instants it is visible to him. Now he shares that information, integrating an explanation of the identification process with many painted and drawn images of details (such as a feather) or concepts.

Birding Basics begins by reviewing how one can get started as a birder: the equipment necessary, where and when to go birding, and perhaps most important, the essential things to look for when birds appear in the field. Using many illustrations, David Sibley reviews all the basic concepts of bird identification and then describes the variations (of shape, size, and color) that can change the appearance of a bird over time or in different settings. And he issues a warning about “illusions and other pitfalls”—and advice on avoiding them.

The second part of the book, also plentifully illustrated, deals with another set of clues, the major aspects of avian life that differ from species to species: feathers (color, arrangement, shape, molt), behavior and habitat, and sounds.

This scientifically precise, beautifully illustrated volume distills the essence of David Sibley’s own experience and skills, providing a solid introduction to “naming” the birds. With Sibley as your guide, when you learn how to interpret what the feathers, the anatomical structure, the sounds of a bird tell you—when you know the clues that show you why there’s no such thing as “just a duck”—birding will be more fun, and more meaningful. An essential addition to the Sibley shelf! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Sibley's Birding Basics
This title was bought as a companion to Sibley's Field Guide to Western Birds.It was suggestedwhen I ordered the Field Guide.It offers many different aspects for learning to identify birds and is helpful when trying to determine differences between look-alike birds.Serves as a useful reference for improving how to observe birds and the importance of their surroundings.

Birding for the Beginner
This book was required for my field ornithology class. I preferred it over the National Geographic Birding Essentials book.

Wonderful book
This is a great book for beginners but also a very helpful refresher for experienced birders.

The book I wish I had 45 years ago!
Although I live in Europe I find this little gem so enthralling that I recommend it for anyone interested in birds and bird watching. Even an accomplished birder will find this book an eminent tool to convey own enthusiasm to others. And I would recommend it for school use as it is also a very good guide to learn observation generally.
A prerequisite for happy birding, and at a little over 10 bucks, a real steal!
No more details should be necessary as that is already covered by others here.

Wonderful treatment for the casual bird watcher
There are already several excellent reviews of this book, so why add another?To add another perspective.Several of the strong reviews are from people who have clearly been advid bird watchers for years.I am not in that category.I watched birds a lot as a child (Eagle Boy Scout and all that), but as my professional life developed, I didn't have the time to seriously observe birds.So I wanted to add that for the causal bird watcher who wants to get more serious, this book is amazing, incredible, wonderful, remarkable, astonding - I teach my students not to go on with adjectives - but I can't help it.I have learned so much reading this book.The hints and insights that Shibley has assembled in this guide are a treasure.The methods he lays out for more accurate identifications are wonderful.My bird watching has improved immensely because of this guide.I thought it would only help me be more accurate in my identifications, but it has increased the pleasure of bird watching for me so much.I am truly amazed.
For the causal bird watcher, this small, easy-to-read volume is a must.Do yourself a favor and put this in your cart now.You will be glad you did. ... Read more

Product Description
A general "how-to" book for international birding is absent. This unprecedented new book by top-selling author Les Beletsky (Birds of the World, Birdsongs) will aim to explain why birders are interested in going to other countries and where they like to go. It will act as a "bridge" for domestic birders, allowing them to build on their exciting new knowledge as beginner birders by accessing other countries to see species they cannot see at home. The book, in six chapters, will describe each continent with respect to birds and birding, and tell what kinds of birds birders seek out in those places, along with practical pointers on international birding contacts and field guides. Engaging sidebars throughout the book, tell short stories of birding adventures looking for special birds or unique birding locations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

beautiful and important book on birding
With this book everyone can gain an insight into the fascination and importance of modern birding. It also includes samples of the best wild bird photography today. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

Best birding guide I've seen
There are several characteristics that makes this birding guide great. One is the maps, including a northern CA map showing all 81 numbered birding sites, more detailed regional maps showing major roads and the numbered sites and maps for each individual locale showing local roads, bodies of water, trails and other landmarks.One chapter is devoted to the speciality birds.The information for each speciality bird includes a northern CA distribution map for both summer and winter and a compilation of key sites. Finally, site information includes NCA&G grids, hazards and nearest food, gas, lodging and camping options.

Outstanding for the naturalist visiting the area
This book was right on the mark with its predictions.I was in the area in December while visiting family so my birding (ok, I like to call them 'Naturalist studies') had to be very targeted to get the most out of my time in the field. I went to 6 of the sites in the guide and found 90% of what I was looking for in-season.For example I went to Yosemite and on the way stopped at the San Luis Refuge Complex, focusing only on the Merced National Wildlife refuge as I had a car full of family who wanted to get to the mountains as fast as possible.There was a 5 mile drive around the refuge.Because I selected this area I found 5 of the 6 resident specilaity birds, 4/4 speciality winter birds, etc.The only interesting bird I saw not on the list was a Great Horned Owl. The maps were accurate even to difficult to find locations easy to get to.Some of the pointers worked too-like looking for Tricolored Black birds around feed lots.

No, its not an American Birding Association guide. But those guides are VERY expensive.This guide hit the mark and is an excellent reference if you really want to explore the area for it's potential.

And, no, its not a bird ID guide.Thank goodness I have enough of those refernces.This is exactly what I needed.

Thank you, Mr. Kemper, for your outstanding and affordable work.

Compliments to a Norcal birding field guide
- Compliments to a Norcal birding field guide
Found it very handy
Areas to improve
- Verbose format could be improved and turned more concise (tables, possibly more thumbnails and less free text) with possibly better indexing of birds vs spots to find them.

A Wonderful Book to Plan For Bird Trips
This book was better than what I had expected. I am getting ready to order several more for birding friends. I was not under the impression that is was an identification guide when I first bought the book and it isn't. But, it does tell me what to study before I travel to the very descriptive destinations.

I cannot wait for the weekend to try birding in another area close to home.

Thank-you John Kemper for a thorough guide book.

Not an ideal reference or field guide
I've used the guide to help plan three birding trips so far and found it to be an asset in preparing for the trip (e.g., understanding the location, what species to expect, and best time to go). Upon arrival at the site, I found myself using a field guide likeNGS's Field Guide to Birds of North America almost exclusively to help sight and identify the birds.

Birding Northern California is not suitable as a true field guide since it lacks detailed graphics or photos of the close to 600 species that can be found here. While using the book, I also found the book to be "too wordy" to use as a reference. For instance, to find the best location in Northern California to view a Ross's Goose in December, you would need to browse a good chunk of the book before finding a spot (and it might not be the best location).Later I discovered handy reference information in the very back of the text (e.g., Chapter 7 provides a breakdown of "specialty birds" throughout the area with their respective ranges mapped for winter and summer).FYI - the Ross's Goose is included in Chapter 7 with the key sites.The last chapter of the book provides a complete listing, including specialty and more common birds, with a geographic region and month of the year to look for the bird.

Given the room for improvement in the book's organization, I would encourage the publisher/author to produce a 2nd edition. The ideal improvement would be to include a CDROM that structures the information by bird species (hey, a photo would be nice), the locations where the bird can be found with a relative ranking, the time of year (again with some form of ranking). Including a CD would also allow the reader to search over the information by species or location. ... Read more

Product Description
BIRDING BY EAR uses an educational and entertaining method for learning bird songs. Instead of merely providing a catalog of bird song samples, BIRDING BY EAR actually teaches. This proven method has greatly enhanced the field experience for birders across North America. The authors have created learning groups of similar vocalizations and clearly point out distinguishing characteristics. Using techniques such as phonetics, mnemonics, and descriptive words, Walton and Lawson provide a context for learning the songs and calls of eighty-five species of birds found east of the Rockies.Combine the auditory instruction here with the visual features of the Peterson Identification System. Page numbers in BIRDING BY EAR's booklet refer to species descriptions in the PETERSON FIELD GUIDE TO BIRDS OF EASTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH AMERICA, fifth edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (37)

CD of Bird Songs
I'm just getting started listening to this, but it appears to be a well-done audio production for its purpose.For someone interested in what songs are done by what birds, I would recommend this CD set.

Best of the 4 CDs I use
I decided to get serious about learning bird song for the Eastern US but had a hard time figuring out which CD to buy.What I found was no one CD does it all, they all have pros and cons.I ended up with 4 CDs -- and a DVD.Below is my take on them.In the end, while it took a bit of persistence, learning bird song has been an extremely rewarding experience, adding a new dimension to any walk.

I started with Feith's Bird Song Ear Training Guide: Who Cooks for Poor Sam Peabody? Learn to Recognize the Songs of Birds from the Midwest and Northeast States (1 CD).The big advantage of this CD is that it gives the song/call first, and then identifies the bird.So you can download the clips to an iPod, set it on random, and constantly test yourself.It covers 189 species, which is a lot.Finally, the narrator has a pleasant voice and often gives mnemonic suggestions (e.g., "Over here dear" for the Baltimore Oriole).This CD has two big disadvantages.First, many of the songs/calls are very short (many less than a few seconds). Second, there are very few songs/calls given for each bird (usually only one or two).In retrospect, they simply tried to cram too many birds onto one CD. These two defects greatly undercut the value of an otherwise good disk.Also, the birds are coupled so that if you download clips and try and randomize them you will always get the same two birds paired in the same order (the birds are ordered by alphabet).This makes it hard to learn the second birds based solely on the song of the bird - the Turkey always comes after the Towhee.

A friend gave me Elliott and Read's Common Birds and Their Songs (Book and Audio CD). In contrast to "Bird Song Ear Training Guide" this disk provides a variety of lengthy songs/calls for each bird.It pretty thoroughly covers 50 of the most common birds.It also comes with a glossy softcover book with great pictures and informative one page write-ups.I have a few problems with this disk.First, the bird is identified before each call, so it's hard to test yourself.Second, I'm sure Lang Elliott is a very nice man, but he doesn't have the most sonorous voice.Finally, the audio CD does not provide any mnemonics and there are only a few in the book.

Another friend gave me Elliott's Know Your Bird Sounds, Volume 1: Yard, Garden, and City Birds . This is similar to "Common Birds and Their Songs" but only covers 35 birds (as opposed to 50) although some are not included in "Common Birds."It also comes with a book with nice photographs but has less information on the birds and just focuses on describing their songs.The CD includes more information on the bird song than "Common Birds" (Elliott essentially reads the book) but has the same drawbacks; mainly, it identifies the bird before the song.

Having read that it greatly helps to simultaneously see and hear a bird singing its song, I purchased Feith's DVD Birds, Birds, Birds! An Indoor Birdwatching Field Trip DVD Video Bird and Bird Song Guide. This was a disappointment.In general it is the "Bird Song Ear Training Guide" CD (see above) matched up with still photographs and occasional video footage of the appropriate bird.It includes about a dozen more birds than the CD and can be arranged by "sound alikes" and set up to give one a quiz, but the drawbacks that undercut the CD - the brevity of the songs and lack of diversity of calls per bird - undercut the DVD.

Having made progress but still unsatisfied, I finally broke down and bought the product featured above: Walton and Lawson's "Birding by Ear: Eastern/Central" 3 CD set (published by Peterson Guides).It is a nice combination of lots of birds (about 85) with a long and diverse set of song/calls for each.The birds are also categorized by the similarity of song, which I found a helpful learning device.It comes with a paper pamphlet giving a very short description of each bird and a nice list of mnemonics at the back.The CD gives a fair amount of information along with the songs and is easy to listen to.The biggest drawbacks are the birds are identified before the song (although there is an extensive quiz by habitat which compensates for this somewhat)and the clips go on for so long, due to the narration and groupings, that you can't really use them to download on an iPod and test yourself.I guess nothing is perfect.

Not very good
First disk of the three did not work at all.
Also discovered that even the good disks could not be copied
to my computer. Wanted to load them into my iPod to listen in
the woods. Could not do so.

Should be noted in the description that a copy can't be made.
Makes for very limited usage for me.

I returned the set.

Capt Tom

Birding by Ear
The cds are very good.The organization and presentation are the best I have heard thus far.I especially appreciate the acknowledgement that the pneumonics they use are their favorites and how they encourage everyone to form their own and not rely solely on those of others.Until using this collection I was very frustrated in that I could not relate to the "tricks" of others to identify calls or songs.I now know that I must create my own learning tools in order to go forward with bird call and song recognition.

Best way to learn birdsongs
The Peterson Field Guide Series' "Birding by EarEastern and Central North America" CDs by R. Walton and R Lawson is a fantastic way to learn how to identify more than 85 birds in the eastern half of the USA.

I first started birding with a friends family when I was a kid and was always mystified by their ability to identify a bird without ever seeing it. So when I started to get interested in birding again as an adult I thought that it was a hopeless endeavor to even try, until "Birding by Ear." I received the CDs less than two months ago as a present and after many car rides to and from work my auditory landscape for birding is forever altered. Now, about half of the birds I identify are by sound alone and will definitely be getting "More Birding by Ear" in time for spring migration.

This series includes the following birds:
Disc 1.
N. Mockingbird, Brown Thrasher, Gray Catbird, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-headed Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, N. Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Belted Kingfisher, American Robin, Scarlet Tanager, Summer Tanager, Rose-breastedGrosbeak, Red-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Broad-winged Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Swamp Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Pine Warbler, Cedar Waxwing, Brown-headed Cowbird, E. Kingbird, European Starling.

Disc 2
N. Cardinal, Tufted Titmouse, Baltimore Oriole, E. Meadowlark, Field Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Great-horned Owl, Barred Owl, E. Screech-Owl, Mourning Dove, Great Crested Flycatcher, Acadian Flycatcher, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Woodcock, Green Heron, Black-crowned Night-heron, Ring-necked pheasant, Bobolink, House Wren, American Goldfinch, Whip-poor-will, Chuck-will's-widow, Black-capped Chickadee, Carolina Chickadee, E. Phoebe, Killdeer, N Bobwhite, House Finch, Purple Finch, Warbling Vireo, Orchard Oriole, Canada Goose, American Crow, Blue Jay, House Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Song Sparrow.

Disc 3
Black-and-white Warbler, Ovenbird, Kentucky Warbler, Carolina Wren, Hooded Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, Northern Parula, Black-throated Green Warbler, American Redstart, Wood Thrush, Veery, Hermit Thrush, Ruffed Gouse, American Woodcock, American Bittern, Chimney Swift, White-eyed Vireo, E. Bluebird, E. Towhee.

And at the end of disc 3 the bird songs are then grouped by likely habitat to quiz how much you've learned. ... Read more

Product Description
It’s estimated that 50 to 60 million Americans count birding among their hobbies. Some hang feeders in their backyards and accumulate yard lists; others participate in annual “Christmas Counts”; a select few travel to the ends of the earth in an effort to see every bird in the world. With Fifty Places to Go Birding Before You Die, Chris Santella takes the best-selling “Fifty Places” recipe and applies it to this most popular pastime.

Santella presents some of the greatest bird-watching venues in the United States and abroad through interviews with prominent birders, from tour leaders and conservationists to ornithologists and academics. Interviewees include ornithologist Kenn Kaufman; David Allen Sibley, author and illustrator of The Sibley Guide to Birds; Rose Ann Rowlett, the “mother of modern birding”; John Fitzpatrick, director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology; and Steve McCormick, president and CEO of The Nature Conservancy.

The places vary from the urban (New York City’s Central Park) to the mystical (the cloud forests of Triunfo in Chiapas, Mexico) to the extremely remote (the sub-Arctic islands of New Zealand). The book includes 40 gorgeous photographs that capture the vibrancy of our feathered friends, and the beautiful places they call home. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Great book for travel ideas.
Excellent book. Great for trAVELERS WITH TIME TO BROWSE IN THEIR DESTINATIONS. i GOT SOME GREAT INFORMATION FROM THE BOOK. Happy I bought it.

Nice places, but book doesn't truly focus on birding
Basics: hardcover, 2007, 222pp., 50 worldwide locations with half from the USA and 15 in the Old World, 44 good color photos; overview and anecdotes of the locations along with logistic tips

Okay, I'd have to say the title is a bit exaggerated in relation to the locations provided within the book.For me, a better title would have been, "Fifty Nice Places to Go Birding or to See Splendid Scenery."No doubt, some of the locations are wonderful for birding (e.g., Tandayapa-Mindo, High Island, Amazonia) but others are more for the adventure or uniqueness rather than for just birding (e.g., Greenland, Central Park of NY, The Silk Road of Kazakhstan).

For each of the fifty sites, 2-3 pages offer a nice background on the area.Much of this information does not focus on birding, but on the historical and anecdotal experiences of the place.As an example, the account for Guatemala briefly discusses the country's warring past, about the growing ecotourism, or about recounting the personal thoughts and conversations of the chapter's author as he looked for and found particular birds.The information is nicely presented and could be equally appreciated by the non-birder as the birder.

A nice inclusion for each location are tips on getting there, the best time to visit, contact information for guides, and potential accommodations.These are certainly helpful, especially for some of the lesser known or accessible areas.

The color photographs in the book are very good and depict either stunning shots of a bird or of the the location's scenery.No more than one photo is provided for each site.For 8 of the locations, no pictures are offered.

None of the locations covered in this can be disputed as worth visiting; however, this book does leave open the rebuttal of "But, how can place XYZ be left out of this book?Certainly, XYZ is better than location #49, a wildlife refuge in Wisconsin."It seems many of the 50 places are more of a person's favorite comfort spot that also has some nice birding opportunities.Many of these places have nothing unique (bird wise) that cannot be found elsewhere.

This book does show a bias towards the New World, especially for locations in the USA.All but 15 of the sites are in the Americas; and, half of all places are within just the USA.Only two spots are given for each of Africa, Australia, and continental Asia.

One notable piece is missing from this book, which is a map of the location.It would have been easy - and useful - to include a map of the country or region with a dot to denote the birding place's location.Another distinct absence is letting the reader know what birds are expected in the area, other than discussing some of the highlighted species.Of course, not all birds can be listed due to printing constraints, but, as an example, it would be good to let the reader know that a successful trip to Greenland might profer a list of less than 30 birds!Or, that other areas could produce over 200 or even 500 species!

In all, this is a book worth having to read about some good spots for birding ideas or, just to visit for the natural beauty.

I've listed several related books below...
1) Top 100 Birding Sites of the World by Couzens
2) 100 Birds to See Before You Die by Chandler
3) America's 100 Most Wanted Birds by Mlodinaw/O'Brien
4) Extreme Birds by Couzens
5) Remarkable Birds: 100 of the World's Most Notable Birds by Moss
6) Rare and Elusive Birds of North America by Burt
7) National Geographic Birding Essentials by Alderfer/Dunn
(written by Soleglad at Avian Review or Avian Books, June 2009)

Always nice to dream
Still have about 46 of the places to go! Handy to have a reference for those cold winter days when the snow is blowing outside... and you're trying to pick out a place to go on "vacation".Should toss some info on "how to find a local bird guide" into the mix.

birding experts share the best places to bird in fifty places to go birding before you die
i have always wanted to take a birding trip around north america and possibly around the world. this book gives you 50 of the best birding sites in the world some of these places require a big trip like anwr alaska or are no trouble at all: central park. a lot of well known birders are included in this book:David Sibley, Kenn Kaufman to name a few and many of them share their stories of personal adventures so if you want to take a trip in search of birds Fifty places to go birding before you die is the place to start

AGorgeous Book to Own, Even If You Stay at Home
I would like to start off by saying that I don't much care for the title, "Places to Go Before You Die".After you hit a certain age do you really need the additional pressure of "bucket lists"?I'm going to have to live to be 100 to do all of things that others think that I should before I shuffle off this mortal coil.Secondly, don't take the list too seriously and feel that your birding life will be incomplete if you don't get to all of the hot-spots listed in this book.It could have easily been "One Hundred Places to Go Birding Before You Die" or 200 or 1000.The point is that the world is still full of beautiful, exotic and interesting destinations for the bird lover.We should all try to avail ourselves of as many as we can before we (or the places themselves) are gone.

That being said, I did enjoy this book and I plan on keeping it where I can browse through it when I need a lift.The birding experts are well chosen and their personal stories and insights are fascinating and, sometimes (in the case of Arthur Morris' account of first visiting Bosque Del Apache with his wife who died shortly thereafter of cancer) touching.I was pleased to see both some of my favorite birding spots and some of my favorite birders featured in this book. Each entry ends with a "If You Do Go" section that has the following information:

*Getting There:The nearest major city and the airlines that service it
*Best Time to Visit:The best months for both seeing birds and being greeted by pleasant weather
*Guides:Popular tours that offer trips to the location
*Accommodations:Inns, hotels and resorts nearby

As far as anyone being afraid that this book will add to the over-crowding of natural areas; one of the places mentioned (Central Park) already has over 25,000,000 visitors annually, I don't think that this book will add too much to that number.The more that people are aware of natural oasis' the more that they will care to preserve them.None of the places mentioned are secrets and most are being protected to some degree.Visitors are often inspired to help protect the area by becoming a member or contributing to preservation efforts.These jewels need not be hidden in order to be saved, instead we need awareness of what is out there and what we can do to keep it there.

The photographs are of high quality, but I would have preferred it if one or two photographers had been assigned to provide the photos (only about 20 of the entries have images of the location itself and there are another 25 or so of the birds that can be found there) instead of the publisher using stock photos taking by over 25 different individuals, but I'm hard to please when it comes to photography.Still, a beautiful book, though hardly a guidebook.I believe that it was meant to inspire us to dream of traveling to the world's best birding havens, other books can better tell you what to do and see when you get there, but we have to start with the dream.Four Stars. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (6)

Great guide to Florida birding sites
I have been using this book for over a year, and find it to accurately guide me to top birding sites. It is more up to date on species and locations descriptions than the ABA Lane Guide, which itself is also very good.

Great little book
I really like this book for my needs.It gives a lot of detail for quite a few places. Point by point turns, where to look, what time of year is best, etc. It highlights 54 areas within 8 groups: Northeast, East-Central, Southeast, Florida Keys/Everglades, Southwest, West-Central, Northwest and the Panhandle so where ever you are planning to go, you'll have an idea of what you may want to investigate depending on what time of year you're there.This guy knows his stuff.Seriously.For instance, if you go to Babcock-Webb Wildlife Management Area, he'll tell you to: "drive east 1.4 miles on Tucker Grade (unpaved beyond the check station) to Oil Well Grade.Turn left and drive north 0.8 miles to the small RCW sign on the left." etc. (you get the idea) to find nesting habitats of endangered Red-cockaded Woodpeckers.He'll even let you know the best time to find them around their nests are dawn and dusk. Only problem I had was I found this book AFTER I went there and was disappointed by the area so I didn't see any and drove around pretty aimlessly.So if you're looking for a little planning ahead, I think this book will help.Keep in mind Florida is a big state, you may not find everything, but if you're a beginner like me, you'll probably find it helpful.

A florida birder's treasure map!
Birding Florida is THE most up to date and accurate location list available to Florida Birders.
Directions are given ,turn by turn,to within a 10th of a mile and that is most helpful when compared to the Delorme map (which often lacks enough detail).
I keep two copies of Birding Florida, one at home for researching trips ahead of time and one in the car to get me to Florida's treasure chests of spectacular birds on the spur of the moment.
If you are in Florida or just thinking about a trip here, this is an essential addition to your birding library.

A Worthwhile Book for Birding in Florida
Of the more than 700 species of bird known to annually spend some time on the North American continent, over 500 of these species are or may be found be found in Florida.If you want to observe these birds, Birding Florida, coupled with the Great Florida Birding Trail Guides, is all the birder needs to find and observe the many species of birds available there

The 500 species found in Florida are broken down into 343 species that regularly occur and 154 vagrant species.Using the standard definitions for status: residents - species that are present year round and/or nest and breed in the state, visitors - species that are present in the state all or part of the year but do not breed or nest in the state, and migrants - species that pass through the state in the spring or fall while going to other areas to breed or nest, the author describes 58 areas within the state where birders may observe birds of interest. Florida has 151 resident species which the author has divided the into 37 year round resident species and 25 summer visitors found in the state only in the spring and summer that are especially sought out by birders with another 52 species that may be found in areas other than Florida but still of interest.

The book contains nine maps of which eight are regional maps showing the location of each of the birding areas.While the book does not contain an individual map for any location, explicit directions for driving to each area are given, and each area is referenced using plate numbers and grid locations to the Delorme© Florida Atlas and Gazetteer so I didn't object to the lack of maps.The final chapter book presents a list of the 343 regularly occurring species that includes a state range map, and a brief description of the 154 vagrant species noted.All species have been verified by the Records Committee of the Florida Ornithological Society.

Disappointing
The book has many birding sites throughout the state of Florida.My complaint is that the book does not contain maps of the sites.There are large maps with no detail.The birding sites are shown as a number on the map with no detail on how to get there.For that you must read through a paragraph of directions to multiple locations.It is almost impossible to use on the road.In order to use the book, you will need to research the sites on the internet and print a map.For reference, look at "Birding Georgia" by Giff Beaton (same publisher).This book has very good maps.Hopefully this book will add the maps in later editions. ... Read more

Product Description
Covering thirty-five of the most difficult groups of birds, from winter loons to confusing fall warblers, jaegers to chickadees, accipiters to flycatchers, this clearly written and beautifully illustrated field guide tells exactly how to solve the most challenging bird identification problems of North America.Amazon.com Review
Stumped by seemingly indistinguishable immature gulls covering the beach? Wonder whether the accipiter raiding your feeder is a female sharp-shinned hawk or a male Cooper's hawk? Well-known birder and author Kenn Kaufman presents some of North America's most challenging bird-identification conundrums in this guide for the advanced birder. Each chapter covers a group of difficult-to-identify or similar-looking birds, with analyses, tips, and drawings to aid in positive identification. Improve your birding skills and add more species to your life list with this excellent resource. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A MUST have for serious birders
This is a great birding book with great tips in identification of difficult bird groups. Kenn is explaining the fine details of similar species emphasizing on fine differences in shape, plumage, and molt. The B & W figures help understanding the text however it'll be great if publishers can incorporate color figures for the next edition. This book really helped me clarifying some of my birds beyond all field guides available (eg. Yellow bellied sapsucker without any red on the head). This will definitely be a good addition for the library of a serious birder.

Good for experienced birders
If you're at the stage where you want to know the nuances of gull id, spotting the differences between hawks seen at great distances, then this is a book you need (along with a couple more years of experience....)

For Birding on the Next Level
I have quite a few birding books and have been birding for 30+ years.I feel that this book has been a key for improving my skills, more than any of the other books with the exception of the new Sibley guide and perhaps the old out of print "The Western Birdwatcher" by Zimmerman.

Kuaffman's books taught me some key points that I still employ when checking the scaups, dowitchers, gulls and looking for Western Sandpipers among other difficult identifications.His succinct descriptions and comparitive sketches make it much more possible to know how to identify a juvenile Western Sandpiper as opposed to a Semipalmated Sandpiper.I found that I would often go back to this book rather than the other shorebird books I had.Another key section in the book is the coverage of identification tips for the Terns.I had always found it difficult to separate Forster's and Common in the field despite the seemingly easy differences in field guides.This book helped out with good wing pattern comparisons and other marks that were not included in the guides. The pattern drawings of the Terns and Shorebirds alone are worth the cost of the book.

If you are ready to start on Iceland and Thayer's Gull or Rufous and Allen's Hummingbirds you can't go wrong by getting Kauffman's Advanced Birding.

a "must have"
This is a great book for serious birders. It contains a great amount of important information that is well organized and helpful. This is a technical book that I would not recommend for the beginner, however, I found it practical in its structure and content.

I strongly recommend this book. I held back from awarding a full five stars because I felt that their illustrations lacked a little "life" although experienced birders will probably not find this to be a problem.

A good book in a bad publication
I bought this book and the contents are very helpful in identifying birds. The problem is it has the information duplicated from pages 145 to 176, skipping from page 112. I have tried to exchange it with another one, but it had the same problem. I tried to do that for the third time, and now I am waiting for it. I hope it arrives with all the pages and no duplications. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Birding as Birding
Phoebe Snetsinger's autobiography is the story of a woman who was told she was dying and decided to do what she wanted in the little time available.She went birding.She lived, despite repeated episodes of cancer, and she continued birding.She became the first person ever to see 8,000 different species of birds.On Borrowed Time is her story.It is much better written the mediocre biography Life List, which has a great advertisement despite the less than great content of the book.On Borrowed Time is for birders and people interested in life lived with purpose.

Birding the World to the Max
I had read this book a couple of years ago and just finished the other Phoebe Snetsinger book "Life List: A Woman's Quest for the World's Most Amazing Birds by
Olivia Gentile.

In this, Snetsinger's autobiography, she is focused more on her birding, her world travels to see the 8,400+ species she found, and some of the reasons and motivations for her accomplishments.Gentile's book details more of Snetsinger's background, family life, and suppositions for her behavior.

I personally found this book the more interesting of the two as I am more interested in world travel and birding.I wanted to know what it would be like if you had the time and money (like Snetsinger)to go wherever you wanted what that life could be like. I appreciated the detail of the travels to Peru, India, Kenya, Australia, Papau New Guinea, rather than the family information presented in Gentile's biography, although other readers that are not interested in birding may find that book more readable.

Title is NOT OUT OF PRINT
This title is NOT out of print.You can purchase new, first edition copies through the American Birding Association's ABA Sales for $17.95 plus shipping.Call 800-634-7736 to order your copy today!

Birding on Borrowed Time
I yesterday recieved a copy of the book Birding on Borrowed Time written by Phoebe Snetsinger!
I start reading it after recieving it few hours later and finished it hours later. I have to admit she lived a life that was very intreshing as shocking.
The birded on a way she did, I don't prefer myself, almost all here trips where guidance tours and there was not the kind of adventure in it as I normally have during my trips abroad.
She was fortunate to have enough money and a tolerable family that suported here in many ways to archieve the breaking of the 8.000 species limit, and she did it on her own way.
What I found a point of critism is than in the 1997 and 1998 chapter somethimes you have detailed reports in several quests to find a single species and before these chapters only vaguely things where told about how she find the vairy species. The book would be much better if more details in here quest where written down in the first chapters!
Over all a very nice and intresthing book, and it's nice to read several times, and dream away what you're chances would be if you had the opportunity to travel that much all around the world.
Surely an document that gives an insight in the legend she became! An all the trouble she got to archieve the goal she was after!

A great story by a great woman
This autobiography by the world's foremost birdwatcher is an inspiring story for everyone.Phoebe Snetsinger, at the age of 34, and after being diagnosed with malignant melanoma and given 6 months to live, dedicated herself to birding.For Phoebe this meant not only finding the birds, but learning everything she could about them, and then recording her experiences in great detail.In spite of recurrent episodes of her cancer, a gang rape in New Guinea, and many other misadventures, she succeeded in seeing over 8000 species of birds, a world record that may never be surpassed.She visited almost every area of the world several times, and tells her story with wit and charm.The book has many beautiful illustrations.

For anyone interested in birds this is a must read; others will enjoy reading the well written adventures of an intrepid lady.

Tragically, Phoebe was killed in a bus accident in Madagascar about 2 years ago, shortly after seeing one of her most wanted birds, a red-shouldered vanga. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Pleased with my purchase
Buying a used book through a third party is always something of a concern, but the seller had an excellent rating, and the book was listed as being in excellent condition.Both turned out to be completely true."Reading this collection of Roger Tory Peterson's best columns from Bird Watcher's Digest will offer some insight into his perspective on the changes he saw in his lifetime" -Bill Thompson III (author)

A Great Read!
What a wonderful read! I thoroughly enjoyed each chapter, which are actually reprinted columns written by Peterson. His writing style is excellent, and his human touches make this much more than just a bird book.

Marshall Faintich, author of"A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Wintergreen"

A set of vivid vignettes perfect for that avid birder.
All Things Reconsidered: My Birding Adventures is an excellent pick for any who have long known of and used Roger Tory Peterson's birding guides, which have become leading industry references in the fine art of bird identification. A decade after his death comes a personal collection which blends color photos and line drawings with a passionate survey of the bird world, selected by the editor of Bird Watcher's Digest which ran his column 'All Things Reconsidered' during the last twelve years of his life. His adventures traveling the world are captured in a set of vivid vignettes perfect for that avid birder.

A Very Good Book
This was purchased as a gift, but before I wrapped it I read four of the essays.Enjoyed them very much and learnd some things.It has some excellent illustrations, too. I'm going to buy a copy for myself.Sorry I haven't read more for this review.

Fitting Tribute
The author, who died ten years ago, is the well-known originator of the Peterson's Field Guides.This book makes available to a wider audience a selection of columns he wrote for a bird magazine.In them, he takes us all over the world and familiarizes us with a wide variety of birds, other wildlife, and people.His prose style is a beauty in itself.The editor has updated the articles in small but important ways.

The book uses quality paper to enhance the photographs, and quality type.It must be one of the finest books produced so far this century, and at the Amazon price it is truly a steal.All in all, a fitting tribute to the author, who obviously was loved by many.A joy to own, to read, and to recommend. ... Read more

Product Description
Birding is the fastest growing wildlife-related outdoor activity in the U.S., with at least a million new birders a year estimated to join an already robust group some 80 million strong. For these beginning and intermediate enthusiasts, National Geographic Birding Essentials is a must. Comprehensive and authoritative, yet engaging and user-friendly, it teaches readers how to begin and improve their birding... what to look and listen for... and how to make sense of what they see and hear. A unique visual component shows actual field guide pages and how to read them, while another compares the same bird in photography versus artwork and explains how to use both for species identification. National Geographic's quality photography is a major highlight of the book, supplemented by pencil drawings and full-color maps to give the novice and intermediate birder a full range of visual information.

Field Ornithologists Jonathan Alderfer and Jon Dunn have crafted a masterful guide, striking just the right balance of practical information and reader-friendly tone. Chapters discuss the pleasures of birding, equipment needed, how to read range maps, birds' physical features, how to identify birds, identification challenges, bird classification and suggested books and journals for building a fine birding library.

National Geographic has established a stellar reputation among birders with our blockbuster Field Guide to the Birds of North America. The tradition continues as we serve an entry-level market that continually needs the helpful, up-to-the-minute information found in National Geographic Birding Essentials. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

ID tips Galore
I was never interested in learning the details of bird anatomy before, but just wanted to learn the main features that would help me tell them apart. But when I received this book as a gift, I found myself reading it cover to cover. I'm not a beginning birder, but my life list only has around 50 birds on it so far, so I doubt I'd even be called intermediate. Not only is this book interesting, but also it is very useful in helping me learn to identify birds more quickly, as well as how to better understand the language used in the various field guides. Its descriptions and illustrations are interesting and easy to understand for the layman, and detailed enough to give one an in-depth education, if (s)he wants it. And it's loaded with tips for telling apart specific hard to identify species. And every one of the many excellent photographs used as illustrations is accompanied by very detailed explanations, includuing name of bird and where and when the photo was taken. The book also has info about other aspects of birding - all the "essentials" that the title promises, and much more. I've read other books that promised to tell everything one needs to start birding, but I wish I had seen this one first: I think it would have helped me learn to identify birds more quickly. I bought several more to give as gifts.

Excellent starter book
The pictures and descriptions are outstanding.This book is a great start to learn about birds and how to identify them.

It's also a painless way to learn some basic bird biology.

Worthwhile book
Wonderful, informative, and easy to read!I haven't been bird watching for years & thought I would check it out again.This book was very helpful especially the section on binoculars.

The chapter on appropriate behaviors of bird watchers was great!These types of tips are needed before you join the Audubon Society and trek in the woods with experienced birders!

Great ref for anyone starting out or reviewing the basics.

A couple chapters were a bit too detailed (bird coloring for example) for my taste but I might go back to them once I get out into the field.

Worth the price and the photos (like all National Geographic publications) are spectacular!

Idiots guide to birdwatching
This is an instructive manual.Not a bird identification guide, it's a "how to", like "how to" decoupage your bread box.It starts out at square one, what to look for, and how to buy binoculars.You want to see the little critters, up close and personal.And goes on, step by step from there.How to use that lovely guide, where to find that startling bird, how to know it when you see it.And unlike the afore said "Idiot Guides", it's beautifully illustrated with photographs and diagramed photographs as you would expect from National Geographic. The information is intelligently presented in a logical manner.There's even a section on field sketching and encouragement for keeping not only lists, but descriptive writing about one's sightings.This is the "how to" for observing nature, can't recommend it highly enough.

EXCELLENT BOOK
THERE WERE EXCELLENT HINTS FOR BIRDWATCHING I FINALLY UNDERSTAND BINOCULARS AND SCOPES - AND WHAT IS THE BEST FOR VIEWING ... Read more

Product Description
Boasting more bird species than any other state (naturally!), Texas is a year-round birders' destination. Birding Texas is an indispensable guide for every birder, from novice to advanced life-lister. The authors highlight 120 of the state's most productive sites, improving your chance of spotting a Black-capped Vireo in springtime or a sandhill crane in winter. Detailed maps and concise information on habitat preference make it easy to plan a birding expedition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Not too bad, not too good
I tested Birding Texas under field conditions last spring. I am sorry to say that many maps are of limited use as are the descriptions to get to the places. You only need it if you like to go to places that are not covered by the two ABA/Lane guides currently available. For the Texas coast and the Rio Grande valley you'd better refer to the these twobooks.

Best travel guide ever!
This book includes many of the out of the way places to bird, along with many local birding spots, that are not listed in past birding guides.

Marvelous! Contains more than just gudelines to the birds!
Birding Texas offers two additional pieces of information not usually available: (1) illustrations of Texas's 32 speciality birds, those not normally found in any other state, and each illustration includes info on where the species can best be found; (2) a distribution/ status checklist for all 10 regions throughout the state; first time ever and extremely helpful. This book is extremely useful for birders, both beginners and experienced alike, for finding all the birds, from northern cardinals to golden-cheeked warblers and lucifer hummingbirds, throughout the year. ... Read more

Product Description
The Texas coast offers rich avian treasures for expert birders and beginners alike, if only they know where to look. For those familiar with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's maps to the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, this book on the Upper Texas Coast offers more--more information, more convenient and detailed maps, more pictures, more finding tips, and more birding advice from one of the trail's creators, Ted Lee Eubanks Jr., and trail experts Robert A. Behrstock and Seth Davidson. For those new to the trail, the book is the perfect companion for learning where to find and how to bird the very best venues on this part of the Texas coast.

In an opening tutorial on habitat and seasonal strategies for birding the Upper Texas Coast, the authors include tips on how to take advantage of the famous (but elusive) fallouts of birds that happen here. They then briefly discuss the basics of birding by ear and the rewards of passive birding before turning to the trail itself and each of more than 120 birding sites from the Louisiana-Texas border, through Galveston and Houston, to just south of Freeport.

In an attractive, durable, and user-friendly format, the book includes:

Maps to each of 15 trail loops, with birding sites clearly marked
Text directions to each site
Site rating recommendations for prioritizing trips
Site descriptions that feature birds likely to be foundAdvice on finding bird groups

While not intended as a field identification guide, the book contains more than 175 color photographs of birds and their coastal habitat, giving readers an excellent feel for the trail's diversity and abundance. Whether you are making your annual spring pilgrimage to Texas, leisurely traveling with the family along the coast, or wondering what to do during a layover in Houston, using this book as your guide to the trail will greatly enhance your birding experience. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good info for a birder
Very handy - always nice to get the most information before visiting a new area.Really looking forward to seeing the sights (swamps, mud, marshes, and even a city park or two) that birding leads you to.
All of this information is available on the web, but slightly different.This book saves you the work and tightly organizes it.Decent maps and directions.

Birding the Upper Texas Coast
Great book.I look forward to following some of the trails, especially the ones I didn't know of before I got the book.

Helpful information
This is really helpful.I live in Houston and have been to many of these places and been disappointd to find very little there.This helps you get something out of the effort and time to vist these sites.For me it has aleady paid back its purchase price.I'm sure the authors will write guides like this for the other two regions. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (12)

Attracting Birds
Good book to have for tips on attracting birds and general knowledge about their likes and dislikes.I wish it had more color pictures that were scattered throughout the book but that would probably increase the cost which is currently resonable.

best deal for back yard birders
This book is for all levels of back yard birders.There is a lot of information between the covers.Birds and the type of feeders used was important information.I liked the illustrations ; they complemented the text.The only food and feeder not mentioned was bark butter and its unique feeder.That can be purchased from Wild Birds Unlimited.

Saved a Bundle
I received a mailing about this book and was very interested except for the high cost.I went to Amazon.com and for about one quarter of the price, ordered from them.The book is very attractive and with much worthwhile informtion.I have only been birding for about two years but found the information very helpful and understandable.It adds to my Shipley reference library with new information for the backyard birder.

good book for bird lovers
This book has lots of good information in it for any bird lover.Gives lots of ideas for feeding what to many kinds of birds. Nesting ideas, feeding stations, bathing ideas, etc.I enjoy it.

excellent
I first saw this book in Auckland,NZ library. It is a great reference and fun read about a very enjoyable aspect of living. The writers have some very good tips and suggestions to help one better enjoy back yards and birds. Pat Willcox, Kingwood, Texas ... Read more

Product Description
Zen Birding is the art of being in the moment with birds as sentient beings. Follow birder and anthropologist David M White on a journey to a greater awareness of watching birds with these captivating birding stories that illustrate the Zen lives of birds and the spiritual lessons we can learn from them for our own lives. Discover an enhanced appreciation of place and being in the moment along with ways to communicate and engage with birds and their families all of which open us up to our oneness with nature. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the authorized guide to the Maine Birding Trail, which opens in 2009. The book features more than 260 sites in Maine and includes bonus material on Campobello and Grand Manan islands. Unlike most guides, which emphasize species identification, this book highlights the sites themselves. Bird enthusiasts will count on it to lead them to the best birding locations in Maine and to list the species they will most likely find at each destination. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

bird
Very good. I can identify them now. Arrived on time and it was as listed.Would order again.

Great Book for Finding Birds in maine
I like the format of the book.It's broken into sections of the state and then highlights tourist areas where birds can be founds but also highlights some of the lesser known out of the way areas.Many winter birds are highlighted and I found that pretty interesting as we usually focus on those that migrate here for the summer and forget about those that migrate here for the winter.It naturally has to miss many areas, but I think it's a great addtition to the library of any Maine birder or for anyone who plans to do birding in Maine.

A pick for any travel or nature collection
Residents of Maine and any bound for a visit who are avid birders will welcome this official guide to over 260 accessible sites offering prime birding locales across the state. From beaches and coastlines to valleys, lakes and mountains, this explores the new Maine Birding Trail and points the way to prime observation destinations. It comes from a Maine State Representative and an avid birder who helped promote the creation of the Maine Birding Trail and is a pick for any travel or nature collection.
... Read more

Product Description
Birding by Ear: Western is a unique and important new tool for birders. Now they can master one of the most useful and difficult field skills - the ability to recognize birds by their songs and calls. Birding By Ear: Western points out exactly what to listen for to tell one bird from another. As the Peterson Field Guide groups birds by visual similarity, Birding by Ear: Western groups them by acoustic similarity. Dick Walton and Bob Lawson have arranged ninety-one common species into nineteen intelligible learning groups - "sing-songers," "trillers," "name-sayers," "warbling songsters," and many others. The entertaining and educational narrative does the same job as the arrows in the Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Birds, pinpointing the precise differences between similar species. The songs themselves are recorded to the highest acoustic standards and are a delight to listen to.Birding by Ear: Western can enable anyone to become a better birder. Use it in conjunction with the Peterson Field Guide to Western Bird Songs, which provides a thorough catalog of the songs and calls of the familiar birds of western North America. Birding by Ear: Western may well become as essential to you as your Field Guide and binoculars.Amazon.com Review
Ever wonder what that trill in the backyard is? Or how to distinguish between all those similar warbler songs? Try Birding by Ear. This great resource for birders all over western North America conveniently packages three cassettes and an accompanying booklet into a single videocassette-like box. Each tape groups bird species according to acoustic similarity in order to help you learn the basics of bird-song identification. Soon you'll know just by listening whether the bird skulking underneath the bushes is an orange-crowned warbler, a chipping sparrow, or a dark-eyed junco. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Good starter
If you're an intermediate birderer like me this is very handy guide and only covers the most common birds.

A wonderful starting place.
If your just starting out in birding, this is a great place to begin.As it mentions in the introduction on the cd, while you look only one direction, you hear 360 degrees.I've noticed a lot more birds since I started learning their songs.

Excellent intro to bird songs
I've birded for a number of years but I wanted to be able to distinguish birds by their calls, especially the shy ones. This CD volme was the perfect introduction. Dick Walton's informal, almost folksy, comments made for enjoyable listening and learning. Sure there are only 91 species but one great sampling. Now that he has taught me "hooks" and "handles" I have graduated to using the Stokes CDs, but at least I can now differentiate closely related songs thanks to Mr. Walton.

If you are new to bird songs, please start with this volume. In contrast the Stokes volume presents the songs, but no commentary. It is up to you to find the hooks and handles and figure out how to memorize all the songs.

BTW, I disagree with Mr Walton on one bird. He says the California Quail is calling "Chicago, Chicago." In my field experience I am sure it is looking for "Atlanta, Atlanta."

Great CD, buy it!

Excellent for the beginner/intermediate birder
As someone who is interested in improving their birding skills, I found this an excellent guide.The authors begin by explaining some basic bird facts related to vocalizations.They proceed with the recordings, whichare grouped into birds with similar songs (the authors refer to this as"pairing"). This improves the listners ability to correctlyidentify the song with the bird.The last portion of the auditory cassetteplaces the birds into habitat groupings without the identification of thebird.This section can be used as a test of the listners abilities or tohelp familiarize the listner with where each bird can most probably befound.This in turn helps the reader correctly identify birds in the fieldby narrowing the possibilities. Finally, the tapes have an accompaningwritten guide.Each bird is listed with a black and white drawing, habitattype and a written description of the song/call.The authors alsoreference the page number to Petersons Field Guide of Western Birds andprovide a space where the listner can write his/her comments. All in all,this is an excellent resource. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Great book!
A must have for anyone wanting to bird the central Texas coast! The directions & descriptions are accurate and the spots highlighted are wonderful places to bird! Very useful in planning your birding trip to the CTC! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (18)

A well-researched birding history!
Instead of a list of bird species, birders reading Scott Weidensaul's "Of A Feather" might find themselves making a list of names.

The first half of the book is a wealth of historical names both familiar and new, and all are well-researched. After the first chapter or two I began writing down the ones I felt were important yet didn't recognize. The research behind these early ornithologists and bird enthusiasts is some of the most thorough and entertaining I've come across for a novel of this size. Weidensaul's success here is in his ability to turn a disorganized history of birding in North America into an orderly progression--a readable, enjoyable history the reads like a story.

Included in the book are a few of the obligatory tales and characters--such as Alexander Wilson and the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, and John James Audubon's first meeting with Wilson--but much of the content is less well-known. From Mark Catesby's early ornithological illustrations, to the Citizen Bird good bird/bad bird dichotomy, to the rise of contemporary big names in birding, the book encompasses an enormous amount of information the reader may not have come across yet.

The pursuit of admiring and observing birds continues to develop and change as a hobby in North America, and this book provided an excellent understanding of where it all originated. The last section, on the future direction of this pursuit, was thought-provoking. Will birders settle into a view of birds as nothing more than checks on a list, or will the trend move toward conservation so those same checks won't disappear for future birders? Will the citizen-science movement continue to gain momentum?

For anyone interested in the names and motivations behind American birding, Of A Feather provides a concise but comprehensive summary.

OF A FEATHER
THIS BOOK HAS GIVEN ME A FAR GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF OUR BIRDS IN NORTH AMERCIA. I HIGHY RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE INTERETED IN OUR NATURAL WORLD.

ONE OF THE BEST OF THE BEST.YOU REALLY MUST READ THIS ONE!
I am so lucky to have run across this wonderful book.I have a number of interests; no, actually passions in life and this single volume encompasses three of them; birding, history and good nature writing.Of the well over one hundred and fifty books I go through each year, this by far has been one of the most enjoyable, productive and informative reads I have had for, well I must say, a long, long time.

Scott Weidensaul, the author of this delight is one of the most skilled and passionate (for his subject) of the many writers in this genre I have ever read.His story telling abilities that are finely entwined with a vast reserve of pure knowledge of his subject matter enable him to bring us not only a surprisingly scholarly work, but a work that infuses you with his passion and has you marveling at the simply readable of his work.He has the ability via his written word to pass along to the reader his enthusiasm for nature, birding, natural history; indeed, life in general.Like a good football coach, who at half time has you chomping at the bit to go out and hit someone and play your heart out, Scott causes you to want to grab your bird books, glasses and the junk you usually carry on your trips, dash out the front door and hit the woods, lakes, streams, mountains, desert or where every you might ply and practice your hobby or, in some cases, your obsession and keep going back for more.

This work gives an account of the history of birding from the early days, days before even the God of Birders John James Audubon.From the earliest wondering naturalists to the leaders in the field of today, the author covers them all.Now keep in mind and read the full title of this work carefully!Of a Feather:A Brief History of American Birding is indeed just that.For the most part, there have been (lucky for us) many wonderful biographies written of these earlier naturalists and birders.This little work cannot hope to match a 300 plus page biography on Audubon for details, nor does it try.We have here a brief, survey type of look at these great men and women and the events that surrounded their lives.It does however, create in you the curiosity to go, seek out and read these many wonderful biographies which are available.

The author has not only covered individuals who have had an impact in the field of ornithology, but has discussed the various field guides; who developed them and how and why they did so, at great length.Drawing, painting, photography, optical and the method of written documentation are all addressed and placed in a coherent manner which allows the reader to get the most from each chapter and page.I was particularly delighted with the discussion on the various field guides that have developed down through the years (yes, I fear to report that books are another of my passions).I gained much knowledge in this area from reading this work.The author also discusses, at length, the motivation behind this activity, and the sometimes overt competitiveness and nature of the hobby. It was interesting to read of the overall evolution of this pass time and why it continues to be one of the, if not the, fastest growing hobby in the world.

This book is very well written and very well researched.It is simply a wonder to read.If you have the slightest interest in birding or natural history, then you are depriving yourself of an excellent read if you don't give this one a go. It adds even more and better spice to an already great dish you love.

On the other hand, if you have no interest in the subject, read it anyway, as it will give you some insight to some aspects to the behavior of certain fellow humans.The next time you see an old man crouching on a rock out in the lake with a spotting scope, huddled against a 30 mph wind in sub freezing weather, you will know why I am there.The next time you spot an old man, half naked, with a grey beard staggering though a swamp, binoculars hung around his neck, clutching a bird book in one hand and madly swatting gnats and misquotes with the other while mumbling obscure rantings and strange names, you will know why I am there.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

Scholarly and Relevant
I received "Of A Feather" as a Christmas gift in 2008.No other natural history writer has had as much effect on me as Weidensaul.His books are introductory in nature, but not so much so that you feel you are being spoon-fed information, and advanced enough that you are guaranteed to learn something or gain a new persepctive on our natural world without losing youself in erudite text.I dub him a "Citizen Naturalist" if I may put a tag on him.His "Mountains of the Heart" is the best, most comprehensive, and most accessable overview of the natural history of the Appalachian Mountains, and has had a profound impact on my understanding of the community I live in.All of his books, "Of A Feather" included, are a delight to read.

I had the opportuntiy to meet Scott at a lecture in 2005 near my home in the Pennsylvania Appalachians where he was kind enough to sign a few of my books.He also gave an outstanding lecture on his travels across America when he was writing the excellent "Return to Wild America."

With "Of A Feather" you are reading about the history of American birding by a contemporary expert on the topic.I love and devote time to birding myself (I have a modest life list), but more than anything, I have a deep appreciation and respect for these remarkable creatures.Just watching them in their natural environment, whether in my backyard or on hikes, brings me closer to the natural world and renews my committment to protect their habitats.While recounting the lives and careers of those who pioneered the study and understanding of birds, Scott draws us to the very notion I describe above - birding should be more about respect, appreciation, and enjoyment of these creatures, and a neverending responsibility to them and the future of our natural world rather than a competition to "see" as many birds as you can.

Birding and the responsibility for habitat preservation
Scott Weidensaul, a natural born naturalist if there ever was one, has written a book that provides both the factual history of birding and the philosophical changes that have occurred in the field. FIrst, he explains the historical interest in birds as food sources and how this evolved into sport, and a fanatical period of decorations for women's hats. He describes early American naturalists, such as William Bartram, and the quest for a nomenclature to be shared by collectors and observers in all regions of the country.

Weidensaul reminds us that early ornithologists relied upon specimens for identification purposes, but soon there was an outcry to limit the carnage and become more observational. Field guides evolved [great descriptions here] and soon the bird "life list" was an obsession of many birders. WWII surplus binoculars provided additional impetus because identification became easier.

Weidensaul emphasizes our responsibility for being sure the birding experience is available for future generations by protecting nesting and food source habitats for birds. He writes eloquently and with an obvious love for the natural world. Who wouldn't want to take a nature walk with this man? ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Disappointing
I have found Falcon's birding field guide series quite helpful, however Birding Colorado was a disappointment.The author, Hugh Kingery, has a great deal of experience birding in Colorado.He describes birding spots along the Front Range well enough, but the farther he goes from Denver, the less interest he seems to have.Many sites in the western fourth of the state receive only the most cursory treatment.In one or two cases he fails to mention a single species of bird one is likely to encounter there.

If you share Mr. Kingery's fascination with swifts, this book is essential. It will prove only marginally helpful if you are also interested in seeing, say, waterfowl or songbirds.There are a number of excellent websites devoted to birding in Colorado that, quite frankly, offer far more extensive and useful information than does this book.

Where to find the birds
If you're from out of state or a beginning birder in the state, this series of books provides your planning guide for weekends and vacations.The state rare bird alerts and local Audubon clubs will flesh that out with some more detailed info. ... Read more

Product Description
Kansas is a bird-watcher's paradise, with its key location at the hub of the hemisphere's migration corridors and exceptional habitat diversity; 470 avian species have been documented within its borders. From spectacularly beautiful birds like Painted Buntings to elegant migrants like Hudsonian Godwits, birders can find abundant rewards every time they take to the field.

The Guide to Kansas Birds and Birding Hot Spots focuses on 295 species that are most likely to be encountered in the state. It helps occasional day-trippers or backyard observers identify and learn about birds that regularly occur in Kansas, with stunning color photos that enable those new to the hobby to identify their discoveries, plus tips on where to search for these species with the greatest likelihood of success.

Gress and Janzen have produced an exceptionally well-organized guide that divides birds into 18 groups based on similarity in appearance, habitat, or behavior, following taxonomic order only partially to make identification easier for the beginner. The entry for each bird gives its size, identifying features (including sexual and seasonal distinctions), and where and when it can be found. And each account includes a brilliant color photo of an adult of the species, with additional views of selected birds to illustrate male, female, or juvenile plumages.

The authors point out the best birding locations in the state--more than two dozen hot spots of which they have intimate knowledge--that reflect utterly different bird communities thriving only a few hours apart. They also provide a checklist for all state birds, a calendar of Kansas bird activity, and recommendations for binoculars and other field guides. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Great guide

After reading the positive reviews about this book I purchased two.One was a gift to someone who had wanted to be able to identify birds she had seen and one was for personal use.The gift was well received and exactly what I had hoped it would be.The pictures make it easy to identify birds.Excellent reference guide!

Comprehensive
Easy to read, more than just a reference. Some prior bird knowledge is helpful - it is faster to look up a bird if you know it is a warbler vs. an insect catcher. The photos are amazing. Very enjoyable read.

Kansas Birding
Terrific book - just what I was looking for.Has been a great help.

Kansas Birds
It is very through and informative and I would recommend it to any one trying to identify birds.

Great for beginners and experts
A fine gem, summarizing the birds most likely to be seen in Kansas. Each bird gets a full page with photo and helpful information like how to recognize them, where to find them, and when to find them. The photos are excellent! New birders will quickly find a species without sorting through the clutter of a larger field guide. Experienced birders may glean details such as where and when to find target species. ... Read more